Keeping Up with the Kirkebys

What's going on with the current Kirkeby trials and tribulations. . .mainly what's being done (or not done) to our 1950s Colonial.

About Us (Me)

I am a currently-working-out-of-the-home mom to two wonderful little boys(toddlers really) and we are in the process of gutting out 1950s Colonial and re-doing it in as traditional-yet upgraded as possible. 'We'(a General Contractor at my direction) completed our bathrooms/attic approximately 18 months ago and started our kitchen/familyroom/laundry/mudroom/garage remodel in May 2009) I orginially started this blog to keep up with our kids and for family not in our hometown, but its kind of evolved into our remodel and tracking 'Money Pit's surgery. . .

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Well now that we've technically completed the kitchen, I haven't a penny to decorate with. So do I feel done? Not really! Not that I am unhappy about being back in the kitchen (and able to cook and do laundry), but wow, it would be nice to have my furniture, bench cushion, rugs, etc.. . and my excuse for not posting what would be 'final' pictures. However, I will post my contractor's 'completed' pictures. It never ends, does it? Only limited bath/mudroom pictures for now. . .hope to have things better organized by Christmas and ready.

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

It's not often than your home improvement hits head to head with a national 'issue,' so I think I have now seen it all!

What sparks this all is that we just failed the plumbing inspection because our toilet needs to have more 'side to side' clearance. Yes, I asked "why?" as I was there as the inspector was finishing up. Why, well someone who is, as he put it, 'not as small as you are,' might purchase my house when my husband gets a killer job of state and we just can't resist and then the toilet won't be in the city's standards. oh REALLY. What bullshit (pardon my french). I even tried to show him how the ledge for the shower would actually help an obese person as they could rest a portion of their thigh on the shower wall as it's about 15 inches high. Further, they could easily be able to sit on the toilet because there isn't a wall on each side of the toilet. Now we are applying for a variance for the toilet and hopefully that will work out so I can finish this damn project.

We have been moving into the kitchen. Mind you, there is no backsplash, the electrical needs to get changed around, and a few other minor things, like we can't really use the driveway because its so muddy and there is a pile of stones on the driveway.

I am trying to post what I can, while I can . .so there will be more, but here's what I've got. . . View of the 'wet bar' area of the kitchen

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

I have been bad. I have been VERY VERY bad. . .about posting and about choosing things and really we only have a week left until the final inspection (or so). I think I am all organized and then when it comes down to it, I cannot even commit to hardware.

Anyway, this week is a 'lost week' as the hardwoods are sanded, stained and sealed. Appliances go in next week and the final little things start hitting a 'to do; list! Here are pictures from the cabinetry install and wow I cannot believe I haven't posted the counters yet. . .September has just been too too busy. I will follow up with a mid-September Status report, but it's hard to believe that we are already close to the finish. We will probably not be 100% until the backsplash and the electric above gets finalized, but that may just have to be after the final appraisal for time's sake. Here are some pre-Labro Day Weekend pictures. . .

Family Room Built-Ins and FireplaceWasher/Dryer area(and built-ins)

Cubbies and panelling(and entry to garage)

Our poweder room 'Shower/Tub'

Poweder Room Wainscotting (sink area)

Bathroom/Shower Area

View of Cabinetry for Double Oven and Sink area

View of the Island and built-in area

Walk-in Pantry

Island Bench (with drawers)

View of Island

View of the 'Bar Area' and Island

View of the Family Room Bay Window

View of the 'Great Room'

View from the Kitchen entrance to the Island and then Family Room area

Monday, August 24, 2009

Now that we are getting to the final weeks of the project, we have to start picking out how to decorate! I both love and hate this part as I don't want to make any decisions that I won't want to live with for a good while. I am excited about our choices and we are still working on a fabric for the window seat. . waffling between a stripe and a pattern without being too crazy! Enjoy:

The Orange 'Couch' (potterybarn.com, Greenwich series Loveseat in Orange Spice). It is the only tailored couch we've been able to find with the correct measurements (70" wide)

We've actually moved faster than I can keep up with where we are! Here are the pictures I took the evening before the cabinets were to go in(August 19). The room is starting to come together, but it's really interesting to visualize where the room is going without the cabinetry in yet!

View of the Kitchen into the 'bar' area (the cubbie on the right); Island will be in the center of this room- pipe is for the rangetop

View of the family room from the mudroom entrance and sliding glass doors to the family room (Kitchen starts on the other side of the half wall)

View from the kitchen entrance from the house (island will go from the half wall to just pas the pipe).

Monday, August 17, 2009

So the drywall is complete and now it's my turn to screw things up. I need paint colors, final tile selections, to decide dark or light wood in the hardwood areas. . .aghhh! When perfection is at stake (as it always is), it is impossible to do. And while I know most of the decisions I have to make are reversible now (paint colors, fabrics, tile even), its not like I am going to want to touch anything when this sucker is complete. So Mr. GC has played his hand well and the ball is invariably in my court to finalize my decisions, which, I think change just about every single day;)

So here are pictures of the last week, ending August 14, 2009, where all the drywall is in place and the new gas meter has been installed and we will get back on 'gas' for hotwater in the near future. This week we are heading into cabinet and flooring installation. . . .so we'll see how much progress the end of this week brings!

Half-wall/bench at the end of the island. Divide between Family Room and Kitchen Family Room view of Sliding glass doors

Mudroom where Henry wanted 'something to paint'- cubbies on right and view of the door to garage

Kitchen view from Family room

View of Garage from Door to Mudroom

Family room Bay windows and fireplace

View of Kitchen/Family Room from Mudroom Doorway- half wall/bench back

View of Family room/benchwall from southwestern corner of kitchen

View of Garage drywalled from garage entrance

View of the storage/pooltable area and mudroom entrance on right

Bathroom drywalled

New dental molding and pantry sealed up entrance to kitchen

View of new bay windows and complete siding on the exterior pf the kitchen